No more WFH or flexible working

[Lizzie523]

Been WFH for a year now - about 6 months ago the company MD said we had done brilliantly, was thrilled by how we had risen to the challenge etc. We were then told the future would likely be hybrid working & we all had to complete detailed consultations about our preferences RE this. Personally ive been more productive overall & I feel a mix would work well.

Imagine our shock to now be told we are all to go back to full time at the office 5 days a week. They said they would no longer consider the results of the consultations and wished they hadn't done it - many of us tried to appeal this but were just told 'no'.

I moved during the pandemic which means I am just far enough away that 5 days a week in the office is going to be a hassle (not to mention awful for the environment).

We work with a few people with young kids and it obviously isn't inclusive for disabled people either. Our main competitors have already confirmed their commitment to remote working.

Is everyone else headed back to the office or am I right in thinking most places are being more flexible now?

@IrmaFayLear

I agree about it being tricky resetting expectations. I think some people are going to become very pissed off if Jane is never available between 3 and 4. And inevitably it will be those without dcs who will be forced into picking up the slack. I think it is important for employers to be flexible on illness/school plays/sports days etc, but the assumption that you should have the right to have your kids wandering around whilst you are meant to be working or that you can be absent for chunks every single day is going to backfire.

Funny how you say "Jane", but in recent years, pre-covid. I used to have to arrange team meetings around men who were walking their children to school 3 mornings a week (two different employers). I think people do not realise how accommodating work is.

I can totally understand your reluctance to go back to work having enjoyed working from home for so long and experiencing a better work life balance.

However, you don't really have much of a say in this. If you complain I imagine your company would just revert you back to the contract you originally signed in the knowledge that it was an office based role.

The company clearly believe that there will be benefits in bringing people back in to the office.

And also, don't know where you live but why should businesses pay higher salaries in places like London if people aren't actually working there?

I'm assuming that many people are reluctant to go back to their old way of life, and I hope that people re-evaluate what is most important to them and keep that in mind when it comes to their career choices!

@MrsMaizel

WFH doesn't mean you have to be chained to your desk. Yup, I put washing on, do a bit of hoovering etc when I'm working from home. So what? People in the office will be going for coffee, chatting with collegues etc so it makes no odds

and then some women wonder why they fail to progress ...

misogyny much?

This is exactly what my DH does also earns six figures, and is a director of something I don't understand. Doesn't seem to have stopped him from progressing.

@MiddleParking for me, I am wired to a laptop as I have a headset on. So I can't get up to put a wash on for example, and I also work close to the kitchen so it would be audible
My wire is long enough I can stand up etc but I can't wander off. Making it sound like a ball and chain now 😂

Well our homeworkers have been back in 3 days and not a single missed call has made it through to my department.
When they were at home I'd get several a day. They'd go though 2 other phone trees before they got to me and disrupted my work.
I doubt we will allow WFH again due to them ruining it for everyone.
Well done customer service dept. slow clap

[quote QueenPaw]@MiddleParking for me, I am wired to a laptop as I have a headset on. So I can't get up to put a wash on for example, and I also work close to the kitchen so it would be audible
My wire is long enough I can stand up etc but I can't wander off. Making it sound like a ball and chain now 😂[/quote]
Ah sorry, I wasn’t criticising you - more the person saying your employer is right to monitor you with a sliderule and stopwatch!

@Sillyduckseverywhere

Well our homeworkers have been back in 3 days and not a single missed call has made it through to my department. When they were at home I'd get several a day. They'd go though 2 other phone trees before they got to me and disrupted my work. I doubt we will allow WFH again due to them ruining it for everyone. Well done customer service dept. slow clap

Call centre working is a shit job.

@castemary it's not call centre. It's a varied role but ultimately it's customer service.
We deal with trade, not members of the public so they don't get much hassle.

@castemary not all. Emergency services? Ambulance and police both have call centres. Car dealerships. Loads of places

My boss is inflexible to the point where if you end up working through your lunch or having to stay over (customer facing role) you cannot under any circumstances ask for that time back. So if I worked an extra 30 mins one day I cannot leave work early at all.

Also no hone working allowed. Only recently scrapped the signing in book after being told from above it was unnecessary.

This is exactly what my DH does also earns six figures, and is a director of something I don't understand. Doesn't seem to have stopped him from progressing.

Wow. Do you really not understand what your DH does for a living?

Wow. Do you really not understand what your DH does for a living?

Word for word what I was about to post. Someone seriously does not understand what their spouse does for a living? Incredible

I am finding this thread fascinating and also depressing.

Such a shame that employers, particularly for office based roles, aren't using the pandemic as an opportunity to reset working practises to help their workforce, reduce overheads, look at productivity holistically and be more attractive to potential candidates. Treat people as adults. Remote working has worked for well over a year now.

Call centre working is a shit job.

Not universally, there are good and bad

@bluesheep8 do you work in a call centre?

@castemary Not currently, no

@Bluesheep8 but you have lots of experience of call centre work personally?
Or is your assertion that some call centre work is a good job a theoretical belief?

I've worked in 3, one for 10 years and can say they all vary a lot depending on the actual job. Some carry a massive amount of responsibility

@castemary
I wouldnt say lots of experience but I've previously worked in two. One was awful and one was fine.

@castemary I really hope your posts are about the working conditions and not putting down people who work in call centres, as you haven't made it very clear!

@changename7634 sorry if that was not clear. I am talking about the working conditions. Some are worse than others of course. But generally dealing with the public, being timed on calls and the number of calls taken, and being paid usually not that much, makes it normally not a great job. But one that well-paid managers expect a total dedication to.
Someone upthread mentioned call centres for emergency services. I have never worked on those but have read plenty of articles about workers being expected to deal with highly traumatic calls and then go back to work as normal. It sounded a very difficult job for not much pay.
I have done plenty of low paid jobs, but generally those with high responsibility, micro managing, and very little control allowed to workers are pretty shit for the money. And massively undervalued. But then most low paid work is not unskilled work as is claimed.

It’s completely beyond me that there are people on this thread, who don’t need to work but are being so harsh about those who would prefer to wfh.

I’m self employed and wfh anyway. But having worked full time in an office role, in a city centre, I remember how soul destroying it could be at times.

Very happy for those of you who are now able to have flexibility and a better work/life balance!

@Chailatteplease they do not think wfh is wrong for themselves. Only for the plebs.

@Talkwhilstyouwalk

I can totally understand your reluctance to go back to work having enjoyed working from home for so long and experiencing a better work life balance.

However, you don't really have much of a say in this. If you complain I imagine your company would just revert you back to the contract you originally signed in the knowledge that it was an office based role.

The company clearly believe that there will be benefits in bringing people back in to the office.

And also, don't know where you live but why should businesses pay higher salaries in places like London if people aren't actually working there?

I'm assuming that many people are reluctant to go back to their old way of life, and I hope that people re-evaluate what is most important to them and keep that in mind when it comes to their career choices!

There are plenty of people who without London weighting wouldn’t be able to afford their mortgage or rent or to ever afford to live here. Sadly the price of property remains high in London and South East. I guess these people should just not have the choice to work from home eh despite the fact they’d be doing the exact same job they’ve been doing.